It is not uncommon for large businesses to supply pre-addressed return envelopes to various consumers or clientele. The distribution of such return mail pieces is accomplished in many ways. For instance, a tear-out return card affixed in a magazine is one type of return mail piece. Return envelopes are commonly provided by large businesses in association with billing statements to various clients. Numerous other types of return mail pieces are utilized in various businesses.
Automatic processing machinery currently utilized by the postal service have optical character readers (OCR) which can read certain address indicia printed in a preselected mailing address zone located on the front on an envelope. The OCR reads the printed mailing address in the mailing address zone, and prints a bar code representing the zip code in a bar code zone on the front of the envelope below the mailing address zone. The bar code zone extends along the lower right edge of the envelope at a predetermined height and width.
Bar code readers are utilized in the automatic processing of mail to quickly sort the mail in accordance with destination information in the automated process apparatus.
Many large businesses are able to preprint their return mail pieces, and preprint the destination bar code within the bar code zone on the return mail piece so that the postal service merely utilizes its computer controlled automated processing equipment to read the bar codes and sort the mail pieces. The mail pieces are then delivered by the postal service to the addressee listed in the mailing address zone.
While the mailing address and zip code provided on a given envelope are adequate to deliver a return mail piece to a general destination, the zip code cannot provide enough information to enable the business mailer to further sort and classify the mail as may be desired. Similarly, the mailing address zone is typically not large enough to enable the business mailer to specifically identify the various end locations to which the return mail piece is to be directed.
In addition, it may be desirable to further sort return mail pieces within a particular department to which the envelope is addressed, for demographic survey purposes, or other various reasons. Again, the mailing address zone of the envelope does not provide the necessary space required for further coding information.